Bewerbungen » The New England Patriots have set a benchmark for divisional

FOXBOROUGH Christian Miller Jersey , MASS. (AP) — dominance in the NFL for nearly two decades.Their mastery of the AFC East with coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady leading the way — 10 straight titles and 16 in 19 seasons since 2000 — has proven to be somewhat of a double-edged sword for its division opponents.It’s the curse that haunts them and the engine that drives them.“New England is the team that teams want to be,” 22-year-old Bills rookie quarterback Josh Allen said after Sunday’s 24-12 loss in Foxborough gave New England its latest division crown.Allen is new to the scene, but he has already had a taste of the Patriots dynasty that has beleaguered the Bills.And, the New York Jets.And, the Miami Dolphins.In all, the Patriots have won the division 21 times. The Dolphins were the last non-New England team to win the AFC East in 2008 — the same season Brady missed all but one game after tearing knee ligaments in the opener.The last of the Jets’ four division wins came in 2002.Buffalo’s most recent of its 10 division titles came in 1995. The Bills were also the last AFC East team to string together consecutive division championships, doing so in four straight seasons from 1988 to 1991.Since the AFC East’s inception in 1960, no team has done what New England has during its recent run. The Dolphins came closest, winning five of their 14 titles consecutively from 1981-85 and 10 in 15 years.“I think every team wants to (emulate them),” Allen said. “Obviously, they’ve got one of the greatest coaches to ever coach and one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of football. … So, obviously Jordan Scarlett Jersey , that’s what we want to be.”Just about the only thing working against the Patriots is time.Brady is now 41 years old and in his 19th season. Belichick, 66, is four decades into an NFL coaching career during which he has won seven Super Bowls, five as a head coach in New England.Yet the Patriots still find themselves a Week 17 win against the Jets away from clinching a first-round bye in the playoffs, ensuring them an all-important extra week of rest and at least one more game in Foxborough.“We still have one hugely important game left,” Brady said. “We have to finish strong.”Unlike years past, the Patriots’ road to the AFC East crown hasn’t been as easy. Their five losses are the most for any Patriots team since going 10-6 in 2009 and losing to the Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card round.Off-field issues such as the abrupt departure of midseason acquisition Josh Gordon, who was suspended indefinitely by the NFL last Thursday for another violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, have made the road even tougher.“Every team goes through things,” Belichick said during a conference call Monday. “When you play football for five months, things happen that you have to deal with as a team and we all have to deal with individually. So, I can’t imagine a season where that would ever not be the case.”It’s becoming harder to imagine a season that doesn’t end with the Patriots on top of the AFC East David Montgomery Jersey , as well. Congress has responded to the sex abuse scandal involving sports doctor Larry Nassar by sending President Donald Trump legislation that requires governing bodies for amateur athletics to swiftly report claims of abuse to law enforcement.

The Senate approved the bipartisan bill by voice vote, a day after the measure cleared the House by an overwhelming margin.

”Horrific sexual abuse and tepid responses from organizations that exist to support the careers of U.S. Olympic athletes are nothing short of a betrayal,” said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., one of the bill’s backers.

Nassar worked at Michigan State University and for USA Gymnastics, the governing body that also trains Olympians. He was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison last week at the end of an extraordinary seven-day hearing at which more than 150 women and girls said he had molested them under the guise of medical treatment.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the bill’s main sponsor, said the safeguards mandated by the bill are only possible ”because of the incredibly courageous women who decided to come forward, share their pain and do all they could to make sure this dark chapter is never repeated.”

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a criminal investigation into claims that former doctor Larry Nassar abused some of his victims at the Karolyi Ranch, a Texas facility that was the training ground for U.S. women’s gymnastics.

Abbott ordered the Texas Rangers Riley Ridley Jersey , the state’s top criminal investigations unit, to look into ranch, which hosted training camps for more than a decade until earlier this year. The Walker County Sheriff’s Office is already investigating.

Several gymnasts have said Nassar abused them at the ranch. Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison last week. More than 150 women and girls have said he had molested them under the guise of medical treatment.

Abbott called the allegations ”gut-wrenching.” He ordered the state investigation because the claims involve multiple jurisdictions and states.

PRO FOOTBALL

WASHINGTON (AP) – Kansas City has agreed to trade quarterback Alex Smith to Washington, a move that spells the end of Kirk Cousins’ time with the Redskins and hands the Chiefs’ job to Patrick Mahomes.

Two people with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed the move to The Associated Press on Tuesday night on condition of anonymity because the transaction can’t be completed until the start of the new league year in March. One person told the AP the Redskins had agreed to a four-year extension with Smith, who had one year left on his contract.

Smith, who turns 34 in May, spent the past five seasons with the Chiefs, leading them to the playoffs four times while throwing for 102 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. He carries a $17 million salary-cap hit for 2018.

Kansas City saves cap space and can turn to Mahomes, the 10th pick in last year’s draft out of Texas Tech, as its new starter.

OLYMPICS

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – Several South Korean skiers headed to North Korea to train with its athletes in a conciliatory gesture the countries planned to mark the Winter Olympics in the South.

The chartered flight carrying a delegation of 45 – including 20 athletes, support staff and journalists – will arrive at North Korea’s Kalma Airport before the skiers head for Masik ski resort Greedy Williams Jersey , Seoul’s Unification Ministry said Wednesday.

The skiers are reserve members of South Korea’s national team and won’t be participating in the Pyeongchang Games that start Feb. 9.

The South Koreans will fly back Thursday accompanied by North Korean alpine and cross-country skiers who have been invited to participate in the Olympics, the ministry said.

PRO BASKETBALL

DETROIT (AP) – Kevin Love left Cleveland’s game at Detroit with a broken left hand.

Love went down the tunnel toward the locker room during the first quarter. He had X-rays at the arena, which the Cavaliers say showed a non-displaced fracture in his fifth metacarpal. The team says his status will be updated after additional examination Wednesday in Cleveland.

Love played only 4:41 on Tuesday night and went scoreless.

The 29-year-old Love has missed only one game this season, and he’s the Cavs’ second-leading scorer behind LeBron James. With the trade deadline looming, Cleveland has been in a funk lately. The Cavs had lost 10 of 15 heading into Tuesday’s game, and they trail Boston and Toronto atop the Eastern Conference.

Love’s injury will likely affect the Cavs’ plans as the Feb. 8 trading deadline approaches. The Eastern Conference champions may have to make a significant move to replace Love, who could be out for more than a month.

PRO FOOTBALL

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) – New England Patriots star tight end Rob Gronkowski says he expects to play in Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Gronkowski has been in the league’s concussion protocol after taking a hit from Jacksonville’s Barry Church in the AFC championship game. He made his first public appearance on Tuesday night while playing former teammate and current Eagles running back LeGarrette Blount in a game of ”Madden 18” at the Mall of America.

Gronkowski said he’s still in the concussion protocol and would leave his status up to those in charge of making medical decisions.